Carton lock

ABSTRACT

An improved carton lock includes a locking aperture located in the carton bottom and tabs with locking ears for insertion into the aperture. The locking aperture is defined by notches cut in edges of two opposing bottom panels, which edges are joined, and the locking ears are provided on the ends of two tabs associated with opposing locking panels. The carton is assembled from an appropriately cut blank and may be provided with dividers which cooperate with the locking ears to improve the security of the lock.

United States Patent Oglesbee 1 1 July 17, 1973 [54] CARTON LOCK FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS i "Wanton Ricllard Oglesbee, Lancaster, 807,509 3/1969 Canada 206 65 c 01119 1,494,239 7/1967 France 206 65 c [73] Assignee: Anchor Hocking Corporation, I

Lancaster, Ohio Primary Examiner-Dams T. Moorhead Att0rneyEdward B. Evans, Richard H. Evans et al. [22] Filed: Aug. 5, 1971 21 AppL 196.; 169,355 ABSTRACT An improved carton lock includes a locking aperture [52] us CL 229/40 206/65 C 206/65 R located in the carton bottom and tabs with locking ears 51 Int. Cl iissd 5/02 insemm The locking aPerture is [58] Field of Search 229/39 40 41 c defined by Otches in edges Opposing bomm 229/16 D 16 R 16 206/65 6 65 panels, which edges are joined, and the locking ears are provided on the ends of two tabs associated with oppos- [56] References Cited ing locking panels. The carton is assembled from an appropriately cut blank and maybe provided with divid- UNITED STATES PATENTS ers which cooperate with the locking ears to improve 1,546,601 7/1925 Morr s 229 39 R the Security f the |Ock 3,126,140 3/1964 Lizam et al. 229/39 R X 3,096,880 7/1963 Farquhar 206/65 C 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented July 17, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented July 17, 1973 3,746,245

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CARTON LOCK The invention relates to carton structure and more particularly to a tab lock for cartons useful for both the packaging and displaying of glassware or the like.

For packaging and displaying glassware, it is desirable to provide a carton which minimizes the danger of article scratching or damage, and which provides an attractive visual aspect while at the same time allowing its contents to be visible to a large extent. Since such cartons are generally shipped and assembled in large quantities, it is necessary that they be shippable in flat form and be susceptible of assembly by automatic machinery.

A carton of a type previously in use includes a generally square top wall and four sides extending at 90 angles from this wall. The sides are constructed so that their edges do not meet when erected, thereby allowing the contents of the carton to be visible at the open corners, but the sides are close enough securely to contain the glassware therein. Each side of th carton joins an articulated bottom portion. These four bottom portions are all generally similar to one another and are folded at 90 with respect to the respective sides to form the carton bottom when assembled together. The bottom portions of two of the opposing sides of the carton are provided with locking slots and the remaining two bottom portions on the other opposing sides are provided with locking ears insertable in the slots.

The slots in the two opposingportions are located centrally in the fold lines which are between those portions and their respective sides. The ears of the remaining two opposing portions are located on the portions edges, and are inserted into the slots in order to lock the four portions together. Thus, as assembled, the prior art carton includes a bottom with two slots on opposing sides thereof, and two portions extending over the width of the bottom and provided with ears for locking engagement in narrow slots.

In order to assemble the prior carton, the slotted bottom portions are folded toward one another, the glassware is inserted, and the ears of the other portions are then manipulated by hand into the slots at the edges of the bottom. This procedure necessitates considerable hand labor in the assembly of the cartons. Furthermore, it is possible for the ears to slip from their respective slots and allow the bottom portions to come loose, causing damage when the carton is handled.

In order to solve these problems, my invention includes a tab lock of novel structure which avoids the tab-in-slot lock of the previous construction.

Briefly, my invention contemplates a locking aperture defined by cooperating notches or cut-outs in the marginal edges or ends of cooperating bottom panels. The panels are connected to respective opposing sides of the cartons as in the past carton, however, the notches are located along the ends of those panels so that the locking aperture is located in a central area of the carton bottom and the notches form an aperture; no slot-type lock need be employed. Opposing locking panels are connected to the remaining opposing carton sides and have tabs provided with locking ears which, upon carton assembly, are insertable into the centrally located locking aperture. These ears flex as the locking tabs are urged through the aperture. The ears then tend to return to their unflexed state on the inside of the aperture to lock the tabs and locking panels in position.

The carton is preferably provided with dividers for separating the glassware to be packaged. The dividers have a centrally located opening at their bottom ends which cooperate with the locking ears first to allow the ears to pass by the divider; the open portion is, however, small enough to allow the dividers thereafter to contain the ears as they tend to return to their unflexed state to prevent unlocking. The divider thus holds the ends of the locking tabs in generally upright positions perpendicular to shear stress on the tabs, thereby increasing the security of the lock. The dividers thus enhance a positive capture of the ears and their assoeiated tabs within the locking aperture.

The assembly of a carton utilizing the locking structure of my invention may be easily performed by suitable automatic machinery. The bottom panels are first glued together, and the partially assembled carton may be shipped flat in this form. The dividers and glassware to be packaged are placed into the carton before the lock is completed. The tabs of the locking panels carrying the ears are folded and pressed into the central locking aperture and through the ears then spring back toward their unflexed state on the interior side of the aperture, thereby locking the tabs and panels in place.

It is thus a primary object of my invention to provide an improved tab locking structure for cartons.

A further object of my invention is to provide a locking structure for cartons which enables them to be readily assembled by automatic machinery.

A further object of my invention is to provide an extremely secure locking structure for use in cartons.

A further object of my invention is to provide an extremely secure locking structure for cartons which utilizes dividers placed within the carton for enhancing the security of the lock.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled carton including a preferred form of the tab lock of this invention, showing the carton in inverted or upside down position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a carton blank showing the elements of the carton and lock in unassembled form.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a partially assembled carton of the type shown in FIGS. I and 2, showing the carton top, sides and panel and tab portions in intermediate folded positions;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a partially assembled carton showing it in a further assembly stage, with the end of one tab being inserted into the locking aperture, and with dividers placed therein; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the dividers ready for installation into a carton of the type shown in FIGS. 1-4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An assembled carton which utilizes the preferred form of the invention is shown in FIG. l'of the drawings and is designated generally at 10. For illustrative purposes and in order clearly to show the elements, the carton is shown upside down in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. It will be understood that the tab lock could be utilized on the top, bottom, or side of a carton without departing from the scope of the invention. In FIG. 1, the carton 10 is shown with its complement of four articles of glassware 11 (in phantom) and with the tab lock in assembled or locking position.

The carton may be formed of bristol board or of any suitable sheet carton material. For display or advertising purposes, the material may be colored or decorated or printed upon in order to provide a pleasing visual effeet.

The carton blank such as that shown at 12 in FIG. 2 may be cut from a sheet of the material and provided with fold lines for easy assembly of the blank into a carton.

The blank 12 generally includes a top portion 13, four sides 14-17, two opposed locking panels 18-19 and two opposed bottom panels 20-21. Locking panels 18-19 are associated respectively with sides 14 and 16. These panels have respective locking tabs 23-24, and two locking ears 22 are provided on the lateral edges of each end as shown in FIG. 2.

Bottom panels 2021 are associated respectively with sides 15 and 17. Bottom panel is provided with notch or cut out 27 and botttom panel 21 is provided with notch or cut out 28. The cut outs 27 and 28 are located at a central portion of respective edges or outer margins 31 and 32.

The carton may be assembled on automatic machincry or by hand, and is shown in partially assembled form in FIG. 3. The sides 15 and 17 have been folded about top fold lines into generally upstanding positions, and bottom panels 20-21 have been folded toward each other about bottom fold lines 26. Adhesive or glue'30 is applied to panel 20 and panel 21 is folded over onto panel 20 so as to contact and be held by the adhesive in an overlapping fashion. Other sealing means can be used to join the panels 20-21.

As best seen in FIG. 4, when panels 20 and 21 have been fastened together, their respective notches 27 and 28 cooperate to define a locking aperture 29. The configuration of the aperture is defined by the edges of the notches and the aperture preferably resembles a butterfly shape; this shape efficiently holds the locking tabs and ears, as will be described. Other aperture shapes may be utilized as well.

In FIG. 4, the sides 14 and 16 have been .folded into generally upstanding positions about top fold lines 25 and the locking panels 18 and 19 have been folded toward the locking aperture 29 about bottom fold lines 26. The carton is in condition to be locked when looking panels 18 and 19 lie in a plane generally parallel and overlying the plane of the bottom panels 20 and 21.

In order to lock the carton, the tabs 23 and 24 of the locking panels 18 and 19 are folded about locking tab fold lines 34 and are pushed into locking aperture 29. As these tabs are urged into the aperture, its sides engage the locking ears 22 on each tab and cam or fold inwardly about car fold lines 33. As the extreme ends of the tabs 23 and 24 are folded through about 90 with respect to the panels 18 and 19, the cars 22 are pushed through the aperture. They tend to spring back-or return to their unfolded or unflexed condition on the inward side of aperture 29 and bottom panels 20 and 21, thereby locking the panels 18 and 19 into place and forming the completely assembled carton shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

The carton may be utilized in the packaging or displaying of glassware or the like and the glassware may be packed into the carton after the bottom tabs have been glued together, and before sides 14 and 16 have been folded into their upstanding positions and the tabs assembled.

To separate the glassware, for example to keep it from scratching or damage, dividers 35, as shown in FIG. 5, may be provided in the carton. The dividers may be made from the same material as the carton itself, or other material. They are preferably assembled together from two pieces 36 and 37 and are appropriately slotted and proportioned to this end.

The divider pieces 36 and 37 have notches or cut outs with edges 38 and 39 such that their top edges do not extend to their central common axis where their major portions intersect. The position of the dividers is seen in phantom at 35 on the top portion 13 of the carton in FIG. 2 and in the partially assembled carton in FIG. 4. The divider may be assembled and placed into the carton prior to the packaging of the glassware therein.

It is to be noted that the dividers act to enhance the security of the tab lock. Divider 36 has corners 42 and 43 which in use are closely adjacent the points or apexes 40 and 41 of the locking aperture 29, when the divider is placed into the carton. As the tabs 23 and 24 of the locking panels are pushed and folded into the locking aperture, the ears 22 are urged outwardly by the edges of the aperture as previously stated, and as the tabs 23 and 24 are thus folded, the ears, due to their rounded outline, clear the edges of the locking aperture 29 as well as the edges 38 of the divider 36. As the ears spring back toward their unflexed state, they are held in place by the divider 36, which holds tabs 23 and 24 in generally upright or vertical positions with respect to panels 18 and 19, thereby securely holding the panels and tabs in place.

Upon final assembly, and for displaying purposes, the

carton may then be turned over, showing the top and sides which have no unsightly overlaps, seams, apertures or other structural features which detract from the visual effect of the carton and the printed matter thereon.

While I have described my invention in detail, modifications and variations will become readily apparent without departing from the scope of my invention and I intend to be bound only by the following claims.

I claim: 1. A partially assembled carton adapted to be erected to form a package for glassware or the like,

said carton made of foldable sheet material and including a unitary top, four sides extending from said top and comprising two opposed pairs, each pair oriented at right angles to the other pair, each side joined hingedly along a line to the top and being separated and spaced from the other sides along its side edges,

two foldable bottom panels associated with a first pair of said sides, each bottom panel being hingedly attached to a respective side along a line parallel to the line at which the respective side is attached to the top and being provided with a notch located adjacent the outer margin of the panel,

the outer margins of the two bottom panels being in overlapping relation and secured together to form a carton bottom, said notches together defining a locking aperture in the carton bottom,

and two foldable locking panels associated with a second pair of said sides, each locking panel being hingedly attached to the respective side along a line parallel to the line at which the respective side is attached to the top, each locking panel including an integral tab end provided with locking means formed integrally from said sheet material, said second pair of sides being bendable with respect to said top so that they project from the plane of the latter, the locking panels being foldable to overlap the bottom panels, and said tab end and the locking means being jointly insertable into said aperture to lock in position the locking tabs and their associated panels, thereby to form'an erected carton.

2. Structure as in claim 1 wherein the locking means are two locking ears formed on each tab, and the carton includes divider means comprising at least one edge means for blocking withdrawal of a locking car after maintain said tabs generally perpendicular to said locking panels. 

1. A partially assembled carton adapted to be erected to form a package for glassware or the like, said carton made of foldable sheet material and including a unitary top, four sides extending from said top and comprising two opposed pairs, each pair oriented at right angles to the other pair, each side joined hingedly along a line to the top and being separated and spaced from the other sides along its side edges, two foldable bottom panels associated with a first pair of said sides, each bottom panel being hingedly attached to a respective side along a line parallel to the line at which the respective side is attached to the top and being provided with a notch located adjacent the outer margin of the panel, the outer margins of the two bottom panels being in overlapping relation and secured together to form a carton bottom, said notches together defining a locking aperture in the carton bottom, and two foldable locking panels associated with a second pair of said sides, each locking panel being hingedly attached to the respective side along a line parallel to the line at which the respective side is attached to the top, each locking panel including an integral tab end provided with locking means formed integrally from said sheet material, said second pair of sides being bendable with respect to said top so that they project from the plane of the latter, the locking panels being foldable to overlap the bottom panels, and said tab end and the locking means being jointly insertable into said aperture to lock in position the locking tabs and their associated panels, thereby to form an erected carton.
 2. Structure as in claim 1 wherein the locking means are two locking ears formed on each tab, and the carton includes divider means comprising at least one edge means for blocking withdrawal of a locking ear after the ear has been moved past said edge means and has sprung outwardly to an unflexed position.
 3. Structure as in claim 2 wherein said divider edge means blocks the locking ears on said tabs so as to maintain said tabs generally perpendicular to said locking panels. 